Page 82 of Sleigh Bells and Snowstorms
“Hi, Horace!” Annabel waved.
The donkey brayed, making Annabel laugh. He stomped through the snow and came closer.
Annabel’s glee that the donkey had apparently noticed her and was coming to say hello cut through the edges of my badmood. I even smiled a little, watching her hold still, as if that would tempt him closer.
“Hello, darling.”
Gasping, I spun around to come face-to-face with Jensen.
“You scared me.”
My hurt feelings flared, and I was about to snap at him. But I lifted my eyes to meet his gaze, and his expression was like a warm fire on a cold day. It reminded me of the way he’d looked at the hospital, without quite so much concern.
No cocky grin. No smolder. Just him.
“I’m sorry,” he said, without preamble. “When you asked me to come, I was distracted and stressed. I immediately regretted declining your offer, and would love to join you, if you’ll still have me.”
A part of me still wanted to fire back. To stay angry. Because anger was easier. It was a shield. And maybe if he hadn’t been looking down at me with so much vulnerability in his eyes, I would have.
“I was probably more disappointed than I ought to be,” I said, my voice quiet. It was hard to admit. “I know we’re not…”
He gently caressed my cheek. “I’m not sure what we are. Is that all right to admit?”
Leaning in to his hand, I nodded. “I don’t know either.”
“Here’s what I do know.” His thumb caressed my cheek. “I like you. Quite a lot, in fact.”
That made me smile. “I like you too.”
“So we go from there?”
“Yeah, we go from there.”
His eyes flicked toward Nina and Annabel, and one corner of his mouth lifted. Leaning in, he kissed me—soft, but with a brush of his tongue that sent a rush of heat through me.
A chorus of childish squeals pulled me back to reality. Another little girl in a thick winter coat rushed toward Annabel. They collided in an exuberant embrace.
I didn’t have to see the parent approaching to know who it was. Nina’s face said it all.
It was Dylan, her hot single dad.
He was cute, with dark blond hair peeking out beneath his hat and a nice smile—especially with the way he smiled at my sister.
“Hi,” Nina said. “I didn’t know you’d be here today.”
“You said you might be picking up a tree,” Dylan said. “I thought I’d see if you need help.”
Jensen met my eyes and gave me a slight nod. He clearly approved of Dylan’s move.
“Thank you.”
I cleared my throat to grab my sister’s attention.
Her cheeks flushed. “Oh. Sorry. Dylan, this is my sister, Natalie, and her, um, friend, Jensen.”
I lifted my hand in a wave. “Hi.”
Jensen stepped in to shake his hand. “Pleasure.”
